No Appetite for Apartheid in CU
What is Boycotting?
Boycotting is the act of refusing to buy, use, or participate in something—like a product, service, company, or country—as a form of protest.
Why is boycotting for Palestine important?
As the saying goes, ‘money talks’—and by withdrawing financial support from Israeli companies and businesses or those that have ties to/ have shown support for Israel, the average consumer sends a crucial message: My money will not go to companies that support the apartheid state of Israel as they occupy Palestine, kill Palestinians and steal their resources. Boycotting compels those in power to respond and change their behavior as they are losing profit.
Why a food boycott?
Food boycotts in particular have proven to be one of the most effective, non-violent forms of resistance used throughout history that anyone can do to apply economic pressure on companies, businesses, and governments complicit in injustice. For example, “bread boycotts” led by American women affected food pricing throughout the Great Depression.
How to Boycott
When shopping for produce, check if the food item was imported from Israel:
🏷️ Check the Label or Sticker
Most fruits and vegetables have small stickers or tags that say “Product of “Israel” or “Grown in Israel”
📦 Look at the Packaging
Packaged produce (like herbs, berries, or salad mixes) often lists the country of origin near the nutrition facts or barcode area.
🧾 Check the Store Signage
Grocery stores (especially in the U.S.) are often required by law (via COOL: Country of Origin Labeling) to post the origin of fresh produce near the price tag or shelf label.
📲 Use a Barcode or PLU Scanner App
Apps like Yuka, Buycott, or HarvestMark can scan produce labels and sometimes tell you where it came from.
💬 Ask a Store Employee
Staff in the produce section can usually tell you the country of origin, especially for bulk or unpackaged items.
Israeli Produce
While reading all produce labels, watch out for these fruits and vegetables commonly imported from Israel:
- Avocados
- Carrots
- Dates
- Eggplants
- Figs
- Grapes
- Grapefruits
- Jaffa Oranges
- Herbs (Basil, Chives, Dill, Lemon Balm, Mint, Oregano, Parsley, Sage, Thyme, Za’atar)
- Lemons
- Pomegranates
Israeli/Zionist food brands to boycott in local grocery stores:
Food Type | Brand to Boycott | Alternative |
Bread/Baked Goods | Angel Bakeries
| Arz Pita Bread Aunt Millies Al Shams Bakery Al Watan Bakery Local bakeries |
Dates | Anna and Sarah Carmel Delilah Food to Live Hadiklaim Jordan River King Solomon Dates Mehadrin NavaFresh ShahCo SincerelyNuts Star Dates Tamara Barhi Urban Platter | Al Madina Dates Al Madina Al Munawara Al Shark Habash Siafa
|
Hummus | Athenos Sabra Tribe | Al Wadi Al Akhdar Cedar’s Mediterranean Foods Trazza foods Other locally made brands |
Olive Oil | Etz Hasade Galilee Green Halutza Holive Sindyanna of Galilee | Ramalla Edleb Garden Olive Oil Made in Palestine |
Tahini | Mighty Sesame Soom foods | Cortas Habash Sera Ziyad
|
Brands to boycott
|
Brand |
Products |
Where products are found |
| Sadaf |
-Rice varieties -Grains -Pasta -Beans, lentils -Nuts, seeds, dried fruits -Baking essentials -Oils, vinegars, and condiments -Soup mixes -Dolma -Hummus, baba ghanoush -Pickles, olives, pickled vegetables -Baklava -Honey, jams -Fruit leather -Tea -Coffee -Frozen vegetables -Herbs -Yogurt-based products |
-World Harvest |
| Sabra |
-Dips -Hummus -Guacamole |
-Grocery Stores |
| Osem |
-Bamba snack -Bissli chips -Cakes -Cookies -Couscous -Crackers -Pasta -Pudding Mix -Soup mix |
-Meijer -Target -Walmart |
Restaurants to Boycott Locally
Cafe Sababa
-> Part of UIUC’s Illini Hillel, a foundation that openly supports Israel and has continuously justified the genocide in Gaza.
Naf Naf Grill
-> The founder is Israeli and the restaurant claims to be sharing “authentic Middle Eastern flavors”.
Apps to Use for Boycotting
Using scanner apps which will tell you if the product you scan/look up has ties to Israel, and some provide you with boycott safe alternatives
Try downloading one of these apps:
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Boycat
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Boycott
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Disoccupied
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No Thanks